The Sun. — London, England, 1864-05-20 00:00:00

'HE ERIDGES AT BLACKFRIARS, The wo cks connected with the magnificent rail way brill ge for the London, Chatham, and Dover line acrc.ss this part of the river are now so rapidly advancing towards completion that even the casual observer can mark the progress made from day to 'day. Never even in London has a work of such magnitude and such solidity been executed in so short time. On the 2d of May last year the first stone of the Surrey abutment was laid, and on the 3d of this month the last stone of the masonry on the Middlesex side was completed. The line up to the Holland-street side has been finished, and ap proved by the Government inspector, and will be opened for traffic on the Ist of next month. Of the bridge which will connect this great goods stet ion with the City terminus, two of the wrought. iron spans are completely finished and standing alone; the supports will be removed from the third next week, and the fourth and fifth are well begun, and will be completed in the course of a month or six weeks at latest. The preliminary tests for strain wll then be made by loading the whole work with locomotives placed as close together cn all four lines of way as they can stand, and then the bridge will be formally opened into the temporary station at Ludgate-hill in the middle or end of August next. The extreme rapidity and simplicity of the mode in which these huge wrought-iron spans are built in place is just now curious to witness. Each span is 160 ft. long by 16ft. deep, and laid for two lines of rails ; two such spans laid side by side form the width of the structure, which is five spans, or a little short of 900 ft. long. The method of building it is by constructing what is called an American truss— that is, a powerful lattice work of timber strength ened with iron tie-rods in every part ; in fact, nei ther more nor less than the cheap strong frame work on which the Americans carry all their rail. roads across rivers. This truss, which is floored at the bottom, and strong enough, to bear a load of three tons per lined foot, is built with its ends rest jog jolt below the heeds of the iron piers which are to carry the permanent girders, the broad iron plates of the bottoms of which are then laid in place on beams of timber to raise them from the floor of the truss to just above a level with the heads of the columns, and when fitted are loosely keyed together. Once thus keyed in, the angle irons at the sides are rivetted on to prevent any lateral movement, and a sound basement got at once on which to proceed building up the cross-barred pieces, which can now be seen in the finished spans, and which form the struts and tie-rods, one to resist compression and the other to meet the tensile strain. When t hese have been raised to their full height of 16ft. the top flange is fitted, keyed, and rivetted together simultaneously with that at the bottom, and the span is complete and ready to stand alone, though still resting on the beams, which we have spoken of as supporting it on the floor of the truss. When the last rivet has been driven these beams are knocked away, and the girder stands alone supporting its own weight, and equal to any that is ever likely to come upon it, for each span is built six times in excess of the strength required to resist the proof strain which will be put upon it by the Board of Trade, and which proof strain is itself calculated at more than four times what the ordinary exigencies of metro politan railway traffic will ever bring upon it. Each span is built with what is termed a five-inch cam ber —that is, it is arch-shaped, but the rise of the arch is only five inches. When the last supports are removed from under the span it comes down at once two inches from its own weight of 600 tons, and, instead of rising five inches towards the centre, it only rises three. This dhcainution of rise is caused by the strain of its own weight, and is produced by an infinitesimal but general compression of all the plates in the top flange we have spoken of, which at once brings the structure to what are called its bear ings —that is, to a point beyond which its further yield will be almost imperceptible, even under the most ponderous weights. When a span has thus been completed and left to stand alone, another American truss is built for the reception of the next, and so on, till all the five spans of the bridge get into various stages of progress at the same time. Each span as we have stated, consists of two of these ribs or girders laid side by side—that is, there are two outer-rib girders, on which rest the croeebeame for the floor, and the end of these crossbeams meet on a middle g i rder, which has thus to do extra duty, and has therefore to be of proportionately extra strength. All three girders are of the same depth, but the two outside have only a width of 31t., while the middle one has a widtn of Oft. bin. The tie rods and struts are placed at intervals of about 4tt. apart. The former are flit bands of iron, half an inch thick, and varying in width by gradual increases as the end of the lever is approached, and the strain becomes heavier, from five inches wide to ten. The struts may be known at once by th lattice-work of iron between them to prevent their buckling or moving in the slightest degree out of the line of the compressive strain they have to meet. On the ties there will be a tensile strain of five tone, on the struts a compressive weight of three tons, and some have been tested to six times that amount before being put up. The cross floor between these ribs or girders is of equal strength. These cross girders, all of wrought-iron, are at intervals of only four feet apart, to correspond with the ties and struts, while throughout the whole length of the bridge, from end to end, run longitudinal girders placed so as to support each rail of the permanent way. Thus, therefore, the cross girders or beams of the floor being placed at intervals of only four feet apart, and being again intersected by the longitudinal beams which carry the rails, divide the whole floor into a ser:e 3of square compartments of wrought-iron of great depth and of proportionate strength. Over this cellular framework will be laid a thin wrought iron floor covered with asphalt, and over all the sleepers and ballast for the roadwey. Each pair of main ribs or girders is connected from the upper flanges by cross ties, three to each span, which are placed more to guard against lateral vibration than anything else. The ends, too, of each pair of weans where they reach the columns are left quite unfast ened, resting on roller frames. This leaves each span to contract or expend as freely as the weather may require, but the greatest difference between the extreme of summer heat and depth of winter will only make a difference of from 2,lia. to Sin. in the length of the whole structure. Where these ends of the girder-ribs meet, a very handsome raised cast panel, to be hereafter gilt and coloured, will conceal their junction. Nearly all the lower works of the piers and groups of oast-iron columns is finished, only one group of columns on the Middlesex side iemeining to be placed, and these will be ou end in the course of a week. The completed piers on the Surrey-side come out with a remarkably bold and imposing effect now that they are fioished. Not the slightest subsidence has taken place in any of these piers, though one has been weighted to more than double the strain which the group of three will have to carry. In fact, with their foundations going 29 feet deep in the London clay, nothing short of an earthquake could now disturb them. The Surrey side station is nearly finished, and all the buildings and arrange ments connected with this a re as comp l ete as reg ards the facilities they offer to the public as the other stations along the line to Victoria. They are lite rally models of what such metropolitan stations ought to be. The traditional clay-coloured timber shed has been replaced b y lofty an d ample waiting rooms for first and second class passeng ers , an d the ro)ms themselves are not only solidly, but even comfortably furnished. .0a the Middl esex side the station in Bridge-street IS progressing, and all the foundations up to Skinner-street, Snow-hill, are placed. the abutments for the Ludgate-hill viaduct are complete, and the beautiful iron work of this formerly much-abusel structure will be in plac e i n another month, Each side of this bridgo will carry a light and handsome outer bridge for foot passen gers, communicating with a staircase in the abut ments, which will lead down to Ludgate-hill. That hideous eyesore —the wall of old Fleet Prison, will be removed, and its place occupied by a hand some station, similar in its general appearance and decoration to that on the Surrey side of the Thames. In Bridge-strqet, also, will be a station near about the site where the insurance office steed. It gives a fair idea of the cost which rail way companies incur when they enter the city, if we consider what the London, Chatham, and Dover paid to get possession of this single office. The building was new and handsome, and cost, we believe, £12,000. It is stated that the rail way had to pay for this building and or compen sation for removal no less than £40,000, for which they received in return 1400 for the old materials of the structure. The works connected with the removal of old Blackfriars-bridge have made no ostensible progress since we noticed them last winter. The temporary bridge is quite complete, and has been complete for now nearly two months ? but the public have been deprived of its use because the contracts for re moving the old structure have not been signed. It is earnestly to be desired that there may soon be an end to the delays on this account, and that the public may not only obtain the improved accommo dation of the temporary bridge, but may be relieved as soon as possible from the risk which retaining the old structure as a thoroughfare now entails on all who use it. There is no denying the fact that old Blackfriars-bridge is very unsafe, and liable to become imminently dangerous at any moment. The temporary bridge is and lias been ready for traffic for some time past, so that there now seem scarcely more than routine excuses for keeping it shut and the old bridge open. Naval and Military Intelligence. THE NAVY. The operation of testing one of the new hydraulic machines, of a size larger than any hitherto in use at either of the Royal dockyards, for bending the 1 enormous armour plates with which the sides of 1 the Bellerophon and Lord Warden will be encased, took place at Chatham dockyard yesterday in the presence of Capt. Stewart, C. 8., superintendent; Mr. Thornton, master shipwright; Mr. Baker, chief engineer; and other officials. The machine tested was manufactured by Messrs. Baillie and Co., Millwall, and was one of the largest ever sent out by that firm. The trial was under the superin tendance of Mr. Westwood and Mr. Baillie, both of whom were present to direct the working of the machine. The plates operated upon wire four of the 4-inch Lerd Warden slabs, sent in by Messrs. John Brown and Co., of the Atlas Works, Shef field, the plates being of rolled iron. The hydraulic, machine was worked by steam power, and within three minutes after the pumps had been set in motion the required curve was given to the plate, which was only slightly heated before being placed in the machine. The contract made by the Admi ralty with Messrs. Westwood and Baillie stipulates that the hydraulic machines shall be capable of bending plates of 9 inches in thickness when chilled, but the machine tested yesterday is equal to bend ing plates up to 12 inches, and even to 14 inches, should plates of the latter thickness ever require to be operated upon. In addition to the hired transports laden with returned stores from the demolished fortress of Corfu, already reported in The Sun, and which occupy every available space for discharging their cargoes at Woolwich Arsenal pier, the following vessels, similarly freighted, have arrived, and are awaiting berths alongside : The Ann Duncan, the Thornhill, and the Tanaro. Cap tain Thorvildten, the master of the Tanaro, re ports that when within half a mile of Tarifa, on the Spanish coast, ho heard, as ho thought, the firing of a single musket from the shore. This was immediately followed by a gun shot, which passed completely through the hull of his vessel nearly amidships, and within three or lour inches of the water's edge. The Tanaro then hoisted her ship's colours and let go her anchor. A Spanish boat with some officials on board soon after made her appearance alongside, but they were unable to hold any communication, as none of the parties were able to make themselves intelligible to each other. After patching up the breach made on either side of the ship by the gunshot the Tanora resumed her voyage, The screw steam frigate Prince Consort, 35, Capt. George 0 Willes, C. 8., was placed in No. 1 dock at Keyham on Wednesday morning. The screw steamship Warrior, 40, Capt. the Hon. Arthur A. Cochrane, will be removed from the Qleen's dock, at Keyham, today. TIN ships of war on the Australian st'ztion at the date of the list advices were the Harrier, 17, Capt. Sullivan; the Miranda, 14, Capt. Jenkins; tho Eclipse, 4, Capt. Mayne ; the Curaeoa, 23, Commo. don Wiseman ; the Esir, 21, Capt. Hamilton ; and tb3 Falcon, 17, Capt. Parker. All these vessels were at New Zealand, The following appointments were made Seater• day at the Admiralty —David Wilson to be surg. to the Wolverene and Thomas H. Taylor to be surg. to the Rinaldo. THE ARMY. The Orontes, steam troopship, Capt. W. H. Hire, whese arrival we have already announced, came into Portsmouth harbour yesterday, and disem barked her troops at the dockyard jetty, under the superintendence of Colonel Shad well, A.Q, M.G., whence they proceeded by special train at 2 p.m. for Farnborough station, South-Western Railway, en route to Aldershott Camp, where they are to be stationed. The troops comprise Col. Budd, Ist bat talion (in command); Col. Trevor, 2d battalion ; Majors Hawley and Grogan ; Capts. Maycock, Warren, Le Mesurier, Cosby, Burton, Gordon, and Barlow; Lients. Watson, Lemon, Laing, Williemsa, and Hall ; Lieut. and Adjutant Blois; Ensigns Firmen, van Heythuyson, Laverton, Mills, Atkin. son, Pigott, and Hoeack ; Quartermaster Moore, Dr. King, Assist.-Surgeon Cherry, Staff Assist.- Surgeon Wills; Mr. Thorley (bandmaster), and 711 rank and file of the Ist battalion 14th Regiment. Also the following officers' wives :—Mrs. Trevor, Mrs. Hawley, Mrs. Grogan, Mrs. Cosby, Mrs. War ren, and Mrs. Duorley and families; 38 soldiers' wives and 95 children. The passenger list com prises Capt. - Watson, R.N., on promotion, from her Majesty's ship Petrel; Lieut. Dawson, 23d Royal Welsh Fusiliers ; the Rev. B. Fielding ; Mrs. Bl ack • ler, wife of Assist.-Commissary-General Blackler, and family; Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Richards, the Misses Fyfe, and Mrs. Moat, wife of the barrackmaster at Jamaica, and family. The Orontes also brought 16 naval invalids, who were removed to the flagship Victory, 1 sergeant, Ist West India Regiment, and 4 gunners, Royal Artil lery, invalided, and sent to the Royal Victoria Hos pital, Netley, The Orontes left England on the Bth of February, with draughtsof • ments for Gibraltar and Malta thence, proceeding various reel, with a select number of engineers, ice., to assist in the demolition of the fortifications at Corfu, after which she embarked the 2d battery of the 6th Regiment, conveying three detachments to Trini dad, touching at Gibraltar, Teneriffe, and St. Vin cent, and the remainder to Kingston, Jamaica.ftr th Owing to strong head winds and unfavourable wea ther she made a long passage of 40 days. A disembarcatlon of the 6th Regiment she immedi ately proceeded to the different stations an d era _ barked the 14th Regiment, leaving Jamaica for Eng. land on the 24th April, where she left her Majestre ships Liverpool, Aboukir, Challenger, Virago, and Petrel. The Diana (flagship) and Royalist were expected at the beginning of the present month from Bermuda. The boilers of the Orontes are, as was supposed, very defective. The engines work well, but the connecting rods being unusually short have often to be stopped to "screw up." A survey was held on board yesterday, and it is reported a trial will be made to remedy the only defect which is apparent in her, by reducing the pressure of the boiler from 20 to 10, so as to enable her to make an other voyage, and if not then found to be of suffi cient effect she will be furnished with new boilers. With this exception she is perfectly ready for sea, and is ordered to coal and prepare immediately, to proceed, it is believed, to Corfu. The troops which arrived in the Orontes reached the camp at Aldershot last evening at 7 o'clock. The bands of the lst battalion of the 6th, 7:3d, and 87th Regiments played the 14th from the station to toeir quarters, the Esst Block, Permanent Barracks. Two troops of the 14th Hussars arrived at the North Camp, Aldershott, yesterday, by March from Manchester. We have to record the death of Sir Alex. Murray 1 Tullocb, K.C.8., who died at Winchester on Mon. day morning after a short illness. The gallant offi cer had only just left town to eee a newly purchased property in DJrsetshire. The late Sir A. Tulloch was educated at Edinburgh, and afterwards went to the Military College at Sandhurst, where he ob tained the highest honours in the senior depart. ment. He entered the army as ensign in the 45th Regiment in 1826. The late General occupied seve ral important administrative offices in the War De partment. For some time he was in charge of the statistical branch of the War-office, and was latterly Assistant Military Superintendent of Pensioners. He obtained the honour of Knight Commander of the Bath for his important civil services as commis sioner, in conjunction with Sir John M'Neill, G.C.8., in the inquiry sent out to the Crimea by the Go vernment in 1855 on the management of the British army during the campaign in the East. Their joint report is generally considered due to Sir Alex. Tul loch, and as was afterwards declared in Parliament, "he was a faithful exposer of the errors which then brought our military organisation into dis repute." It is universally acknowledged that the dsceased General was a valuable public servant. His commissions bore date as follows :—E❑sign, April 9, 1826 ; Lieutenant, November, 30, 1827 ; Captain, March 12, 1838 ; Major, March 29, 1839 ; Lieutenant-Colonel, May 31, 1844 ; Colonel June 20, 1854 ; and Major-General, September 9, 1859. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 20, 1864, THE PORTSDOWN FORTS, Three hundred men from the 2d battalion of the 2d Royals,stationed at Portsmouth, have encamped on Portsdown-hill, where they will be employed, under the direction of the Royal Engineer officers superintending the construction of the forts, in levelling the ground and removing the trees and hedgerows from the northern slope of the hill in the immediate front of the line of forts now rising along the hill's crest. By this measure the north side of Portsdown, which is nearly seven miles in extent, will be converted into one immense glacis, to the forts ranged along its top, open to the sweep ing fire from their guns from end to end, and bare of cover for a foe. In The Sun of Sept. 4, 1863, under the head of "The Fortifications of Portsmouth," was given a general description of the line of works which are being created along the crest of Portsdown—the base of the great pentangular plan of defence which is rising up and encircling Portsmouth, its harbour, shipping, dockyard, and arsenal—and it will, there fore, render any further notice of them at the pre sent time, perhaps, the more clear and interesting to the general reader if one of those works is selected as an illustration of the progress which has been made in their construction, and also of the kind of works they will be when completed. The Portsdown forts, with the exception of the two central forts, vary in their designs according to the position they hold. Thus the western end of Portsdown is held by Fort Wallington, a very extensive work, intended to mount 56 guns on its terre-plein, exclusive of guns in an advanced work, and of guns in caponnieres and mortars in batteries in rear of the caponnieres in the ditches. The latter are 21 feet in width at the base, and 50 feet at the counterscarp. The eastern end of the hill is held by Fort Purbrook and its two outworks, Farlington and Crookhorn, and will mount a total of 55 guns on the terre-plein, exclu sive of guns and mortars in the fosse. Three other works—Widley, Southwick, and Nelson—occupy positions along the intervening space between the eastern and western works just alluded to. Nelson stands nearest to Fort Wallington, and differs from the central works of Southwick and Widley in hav ing its face constructed at an acute instead of an obtuse angle. It will mount 30 guns on its terre plein, and will, like the others, have its guns in ca ponnieres and mortar batteries in its fosse or di"ch. , Widley and Southwick occupy the central position of the line, are alike in design and extent, and stand nearest in position to Portsmouth dockyard and ar senal. Widley, the easternmost of the two, indeed, commands the high road which leads from the main land to the only entrance to the island of Portsea, which contains Portsmouth and all its belongings, which these vast fortifications are intended to assist in protecting ; and for this reason we will select Fort Widley for our present illustration, and aps proach it from the north—that is, from inland, as an enemy would approach it after having effected a landing on some other part of the coast with the in- tuition of afterwards advancing upon Portsmouth. Approaching Portsdown, therefore, in this manner from the north, and crossing the valley at its base between the Hinges of Southwick and Purbrook, Portsdown towers upwards to a height of upwarda of 400 ft above high-water mark immediately in front, with the huge, hammocklike appearance cap ping the bill at about its centre, and other ham mocklike appearances right and left along the hill, showing the position of the other forts. From the valley the hill looks like one monster fortification, the several forts forming the bastions, and the 11:11's crest and slope the connecting curtains and cover ing glacis, Sc. Ascending the hill's slope the reader would, after some little fatigue, stand upon the edge of the fosse or counterscarp of the dry moat which surrounds Fort Widley. It is cut down into the chalk 35ft. and 50ft. in width, the counterscarp and escarp—i,e., outer and inner walls of the moat being vertical, the counterscarp being merely the unsupported chalk cutting, but the escarp being a composite wall, to which it will be necessary to refer again presently. At each angle of the escarp wall a bombproof caponniere stands out into the ditch from the fort (the counterscarp in front of each capouniere being out into a bay to P,dmit of this) and sweeps the line of moat with fire from rifle and howitzer. The moat which surrounds the fort is thus commanded by the capon fierce at each angle of the work, inde pendent of any aid from its defenders from its ram parts, excepting that additional assistance may be given to the defenders in the caponnieres by a rifle from the top of the escarp. Descending from the counterscarp into the moat it will be found that a considerable portion of both escarp and counterscarp walls is lying in the moat, the chalk of the counter scarp having fallen from the natural effects of the weather, and the composite wall of the escarp from its weakness and inability to support the immense pressure of the ramp behind it. It is built up of segmental brick arches with lBft. bays and 3ft. brick piers, filled in with IBin, of flint onwards, 27in. of chalk masonry in the core, and 9in. of brick on the inside, giving a total thickness of 4ft. 6in. At the angles of the wall it is very weakly designed, and large masses have fallen bodily into the moat. At other parts the chalk where it has appeared solid has been allowed to form part of the lower portion of the wall, the 3 brickwerk and composite wall com mencing about a third of the way up the escarp. In every instance of this kind the chalk is peeling off in large flakes, and the composite wall must be con tinued to the level of the bottom of the moat, or it must fall. Leaving the moat, however, with its vertical walls and bombproof caponnieres, each of the latter a complete little fortress in itself, the reader can now ascend the 35ft. of escarp wall, and stepping down inside the work from the coping stone of the wall will find himself on a narrow raised pathway that runs round the inside of the escarp, and on which the defenders of the work would stand when opening a rifle fire over the wall either on an enemy on the glacis outside the fort, or attempting to force the moat. A step lower down again and ',he reader would stand on the chemin de roads, a pathway that goes entirely round the work, but outside the rampart, below the line of embrasures considerably, and covered from observation from the outside of the fort by the top of the escarp wall. At each angle there are loop-holed n c t oi a ew r r r ea i eraddnsbdtyht the n erne e os n ac e at m ,r brick galleries, from which the defenders could sweep the c b a e pi eagle nogn escarp h m e a r e s Nyv Looking 1 1 brick ehernm de ronde and face of the rampart if the escarp was r e ev e archese the escarp bese over ctawr :e granite platforms. These are intended for mortar batteries for the especial benefit of any enemy who may obtain posses_ Sion of any part of the ground or valley in front of the posi tion. From the chentin de ronde the grass-covered rampart stretches upwards at the usual angle of inclination and, this surmounted, the int er i or of the fort is gained.' The parade level of the fort is 342 ft. above high-water mark the terre-plein 354 ft., and th e top of the parapet 362 ft. at , its right shoulder, and 364 ft at its left. The fort is, like all the ethers on the hill, of exceedingly simple trace, though of prodigious strength. It is of horseshoe shape, with obtuse-angled faces, and with the base line of its figure atutting upan a military road, which extends as a base line throughout the position and connects the forts with each other. The rampart has blind embrasures, ex cept the central one, and has platforms laid on the terre plein for 21 guns. The mortar batteries will each mount five or 13. inch and the caponnieres in the moat will mount 1G howitzers, besides having ample loopholed space for rifle fire. The rampart at its right and left extremities rests upon bomb-proof casements for troops or staff quarters , but the gorge of the work is not yet closed, the precise manner in which this will be done not having yet been decided. It was originally intended to close the gorge of each of the Portsdown forts with iron-casen keeps, but the absurdity of carrying out such a scheme on a hill of chalk condemned it, and it is believed to be the inten tion now to close each gorge with a barrack for the accom modation of the garrison. As digging wells for a water supply would be a difficult operation on Portsdown, each fort contains within the precincts of its parade a large tank, into which water will be pumped from the valley in front near Southwick. In the centre of the fort parade is a circu lar stone staircase, which, descending 40ft. through the chalk, leads to the main magazine, which is 50ft. in length, lift. in height, and 291 t. Gin, wide. It is built up of six courses of brick, every alternate course being of hollow bricks, and is surrounded externally by a 2 ft. air space. From this magazine sunken galleries, varying from 200 ft. to 400 ft. in length, and closed by iron gates, lead to the mortar batteries and the calonnieres in the moat. The fort underground, in fact, with its circular staircase, maga zine, sunken galleries, and massive caponnieres, is equal in interest with the fort abova ground, and would, perhaps, be the more interesting of the t ,vo to the casual visitor, We have noticed several errors in the ccnstruction of the fort, but they are solely errors of design, and it is but simple justice to say that the work of the contractor appears to have been well and faithfully performed. New Town-hall at Tiverton, Yesterday the new Town -all of Tiverton was opened with every mark of rejoicing. What with flags, flowers, and evergreens, the ordinary quiet little town was quite transformed. Cheap excursion trains brought thousands in from the neighbouring districts, and the principal thoroughfares were so densely thronged as to be almost impassable. The chief attraction was the expected appear ance of Lord Palmerston, who had been requested, as the senior representative of the borough, to honour his consti tuents by formally opening their Town-hall, and it may w e ll be supposed that profound regret was felt by all when it became known that he would not be present. Late on - Wednesday night a letter, written at Brocket-hall, Hert. foi d shire, was received from the noble lord, in which he said : " I came down here for a kw days for the country air, am better, and hope to be ebb to get to the House of Com mons on Friday by lying sill till then; but I could not have gone to Tiverton to-norrow. Lord Foitescue will take my place on Thursday,and I hope that this arrange ment will prove acceptable.' Yesterday forenoon this commnnication was read to a meeting of the Town Councl specially convened for the pur pose, and it was agreed to nquest Mr Denman, the junior member, to discharge the dtiy which up to the last moment it had been hoped his distizgajshed colleague would be able to perform. In accordance with this arrangement, Mr Den man and Lord Fortescue, shgtly after noon, were escorted from their hotel to the Towr-hall by the members and ail cers of the corporation, and is the little procession passed along it was greeted with bud cheering by the people as sembled on the route. The new hall is built in the centre of the town, and for its sizes a very handsome and impos ing structure. It is in tie Italian style, and a peculiarly rich and ornamental charactr has been given to it by the profuse use of coloured stout and marble. Accommodation has been provided for the transaction of all the public busi ness of the town. The Hallitself is spacious and lofty, and its walls are adorned with s veral portraits in oil, includ ing one of Lord Palrnerstor painted by Mr. Roden. In the erection of the building elegance and durability have not been found incompatible with economy. It is under stood that, including the purchase of land and contingencies of every kind, the entire cost will not exceed £B,OOO and, if so, great credit is due to the architect, Mr. Lloyd, of Bris tol, for having produced EC admirable a structure for so modest a sum. The forml ceremony of opening the Hall was ono of the most simple kind. It consisted mainly of a brief address delverod by Mr Denman from a window on the first floor to tie crowd outside. Mr Denman began by saying that the first act he had to perform was to declare the building open as the Town-hall of Tiverton, Here somebody in the crowd ;rigid out, " Where is Palmer s'on ?" whereupon Mr Dennan expressed his regret at the unfortunate and unfavourable absence of his venerable and respected colleague, who, though rapidly recovering from his recent illness, bad been fabidden by his medical ad visers to undertake so long a journey as that to Tiverton. He was sure, he continued, Oat all present, though suffer ing under a feeling of disalpointment, would join in an expression of sympathy with .ne whose name was known and honoured not only in 1 iserton, not only in the House of Commons, not only in England, but throughout the world. This elicited as entlusiastie burst of cheering, which seemed to cow the fey persons who had tried to interrupt the proceedings, ant, taking advantage of the calm that followed, Mr Deumtn concluded his address with a Sew appropriate observations on the value and importance of municipal institutions, congratulating his constituents on the possession of one of the handsomest Town- halls in the west of England. Lord Fortescue next stood forward to address the crowd. He bore his personal testimony to the truth of the statement which had been made to them with respect to the cause of Lord Pal merston's absence. " Unless," he said, "you wish to do what would not be permitted in any other part of England —namely, to sacrifice a life so precious not only to you but to Europe—it would be impossible for Lord Palmerston to appear in his state of health. It is entirely out of the ques tion for him to undertake such a journey. His excuse for not being present on this occasion was, alas: too well founded, and no one can regret more than himself his ina bility to be present. I received from his own lips an assur ance that he hoped up to the last moment to be able to take part in the proceedings of this day, and that he is ex tremely sorry that upon this auspicious occasion he cannot find himself once more among you to receive the same kindness you have ever shown tswards him. I went down to Brocket-hall, and although I found him cheerful and animated he was unable to wads or stand, and his doctors had positively interdicted him from undertaking so short a journey as even one of 20 miles. In his journey to Brocket hall he was obliged to be lifted in and out of his carriage. Under these circumstances I think you would not be so abominably selfish as to endanger a life so precious, not only to England, but to millions abroad, who look to our great Minister with confidence and respect I hope the scepticism and incredulity of the few have been ever come, and that you, as manly, frank, genuine English men, will believe what has been told you. Some person called out that Lord Palmerston was a humbug. That is a new light in which to view the character of the noble lord, and I think you will agree with me that if ever there was a straightforward Englishman that man is Lord Palmerston." At the close of this speech, which was loudly cheered, there were numerous calls for " Itowcliffe," and the famous butcher and Chartist of that name, with whom, it will be recollected, Lord Palmerston had an amusing encounter some years ago, showed himself in obedience to the sum mons. He was hailed with shcuts of laughter, mingled with cheers, and merely said tLat as the present was not a political meeting he would refrain from commenting. on the conduct of Lord Palmerston. The only remark he had to make was that in his judgment the real leader and friend of the people was Mr Gladstone—an expres sion of opinion which led to a renewa l o f the cheering and laughter. A few words from the Mayor followed, and the proceedings terminated with " three times three" for an immense variety of persons and objects, all, however, of purely local fame. L a t er i n t h e d a y there was a din ner in the Town-hall, presided over by the Mayor, and in the evening at least half a doz,n bails were going on in as many different parts of the town. Daring Escape from the House of Correction, Yesterday morning, ttbo 4)— tzt a quar t er past seven o'clock, a man was seen by M r. J ohn Whiteman, news agent, of No. 26, Guildford-pl ace ( oppos i te t he walls of the House of -7----- Correction), with his head just above the walls, end he, suspecting that all was not right, watched him. After a lapse of a moment or so he saw the man get on the top of the wall and then drop into the Farringdon-road. The man no soon er recovere d himself from the effects of g the fall (the wa ll s o f th e pr i son a t this spot being of great height) than h e a t once ma d e o ff; and, for the purpose of better avoiiin detection, he ran along the back of Messrs. Cubitt's establishment. He was Pursued by Mr. White man, who ov er t oo k hi m i n A m pton-place , Gra y' s Inn-roa d, and after a d esperate strugg l e o verpowered him , and, with assistance, conveyed him to the liing's-cross police-station, where he was accuse d o f b e i n g a prisoner escaped from the House of Correction, an accusation which he did not deny, and if he had it would not have a vailed him much, as he had on the prison clothes and metal number. Inspector Allen, of the G division, detained the prisoner and sent off for the authorities of the prison, who, it would appear, had not then missed him. It was then ascertained that the prisoner is a most desperate thief, and was con fined in the House of Correction, under the name of John Day, for two years with hard labour, for breaking into a gentleman's house at Hammersmith, and stealing a quail. tits of plate. The way in which the prisoner gained access to the top of the wall was this :—A new wing has recently been erected, and is now not yet quite completed. Something of the materials are still lying about, and the prisoner, who had not long been cut of bed, 'was in the yard for exercise, and thus took the favourable opportunity of climbing up with the aid of the nails in the boards, and thus making hi s escape. The prisoner for the present is taken back to the House of Correction, but whether ho will be taken before a magis_ trate for being at large before the expiration of his sentence has not yet been determined. HOMAGE TO MEYERBEER.—At the recent per formance of the "Huguenots" in Paris the two principal artiste, being recalrod, appeared bearing a crown covered with crape, Court of Common. Council, A Special Court of Common Council was held yesterday —the Lord Mayor presided. GARIBALDI. Deputy 'WHITE inquired of the Town Clerk what steps had been taken in relation to the translation of the Cham berlain's address to Gen. Garibaldi into the Italian language and its presentation to him. The TOWN CLERK (Mr Woodthorpe) said that, in ac cordance with the resolution of the Court, he had commu• nicated with Signor Pistrucci, the professor of Italian at King's College, and asked him to undertake the duty of translating the address, but his engagements prevented him from performing the task as quickly as was required by reason of the General's sudden departure from England. He had, however, at his instance communicated with Signor Tivoli, the professor of Italian at University College, and he and his son sat up the whole night and carefully tran slated the address. The translation was sent on the follow ing morning to Sutherland House, but the General had left; but his son Menotti took charge of it, and conveyed it to his father, y r returned his warmest thanks for the com pliment that had been paid hire by the Corporation. A short discussion took place as to the best means of ac knowledging the services of Signor Tivoli, some of the members of the Court expressing an opinion that it might not be agreeable to the feelings of that gentleman to make a pecuniary acknowledgment. Eventually it was agreed that the thanks of the Court and a sum of ten guineas should be presented to Signor Tivoli. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY. Deputy FRY, the chairman of the Improvement Com mittee, brought up the report from the committee relative to the expenditure incurred by the Commissioners of Sewers in effecting certain street improvements in the City during the years 1862 and 1863, and recommending that it would not be desirable for the Corporation to contribute towards the cost of the said improvements. The ground upon which the committee made the recommendation appeared to be that the improvements had been paid for, and that the accounts were all settled, and therefore it was not advisable to reopen the matter. Mr. SAUNDERS proposed an amendment to the effect that the improvements in question were of great public import ance, and that the Corporation ought to contribute towards the cost of them, in order to relieve the ratepayers from a portion of the burden, and that the subject should be re ferred back to the Improvement Committee for reconside ration. He referred to the various important improvements that had been made in the City, and said, that although much had undoubtedly been done, the public convonience and comfort required a groat deal more, and it was impos• Bible that this could be effected if the Corporation cast the whole burden upon the ratepayers of the City, and refused to contribute towards such improvements. (Hear, hear.) Mr. NORttIS, M.P., seconded the amendment. A lengthened discussion took place upon the motion and the amendment, during which Mr. LAWLEY expressed his opinion that the real question at issue was whether the Corporation should conduct its own business or whether it should be over-ridden by the Commissioners of Sewers. (Cries of " Oh, oh.") lie said that the matter had been fully considered by the committee, and they ought not to be asked to reconsider their decision. Mr. H. L. TAYLOR expressed his opinion that the com mittee had not fully considered the question that was sub • witted to them, and that in their report they had entirely given it the go-by. (Hear, hear.) All they were called upon to consider was whether the improvements that had been effected were of importance to the public, and whether the Corporation ought to contribute towards the cost of those improvements. He was ready to admit that this Court had a right to control all the expenditure of the Corporation, and that was the matter. (Laughter.) He always bowed to the decision of the Court, although sometimes he did so very unwillingly, but he had no hesitation in expressing his opinion that the Corporation had not done anything like what it ought to have done in reference to the yublic im provements in the City, and that it had neglected its duty in this respect. Believing that the subject had not been properly considered by the committee, he should support the amendment of Mr. Saunders, that the report be referred back for further consideration. Mr. RuDKIN said he was not opposed to the principle of the City's cash contributing towards the public improve ments in the City, but on the present occasion he thought the Improvement Committee were justified in refusing to contribute towards improvements that were made in 1862 and 1863 which were already paid tor. In his opinion, how ever, the proper course was not to leave the entire control in the hands of the Commissioners of Sewers, but that this body should put itself in communication with the Improve ment Committee, or some other committee, upon the sub ject of any improvements that were proposed to be carried out, and that the two bodies should act jointly in the matter. Deputy DE JERSEY, the chairman of the Commissioners of Sewers, addressed the Court at some length in support of the amendment, and he expressed his opinion that the con clusion arrived at by the committee was not founded upon the merits of the question, but upon the feeling and preju dice that existed in the breasts of some of the members,— (Cries of " Oh, oh.") He regretted to find that upon such an important question feelings of this description should exist, and he could not help saying that in his opinion the improvement of the streets and providing for the accommo dation of the public was a municipal duty, and the Corpora tion ought to perform that duty and not allow the ratepayers to be salcileci with the entire cost. The Court then divided, when the amendment was carried by a mejority of 27• Deputy DE JERSEY then proposed two motions having reference to certain proposed improvements in the City, one of which is the making a thoroughfare out of Newgate street through King Edward-street into Smithfield, both of which were agreed to. Mr. RUDKIN then proposed that the Improvement Com mittee Le empowered to confer with the Commissioners of Sewers with a view to facilitate the widening and improving the streets and thoroughfares of this city, reporting to the Court from time to time whether any and what amounts should be contributed out of the City's cash towards such objects, _ _ The motion was agreed to, and the Court then ad journed. Registration of County Voters, The Commons' Select Committee on the Present System of Registration of County Voters in England have made their repot t. They have to state that the registers are at once impure and defective, and the process of remedying them is frequently attended with annoyance and expense to individuals. Great facilities are afforded for unqualified persons getting upon the register, while, on the other hand, persons entitled to a vote are liable to be annually called upon to substantiate their right, and objections are ven tured on the chance that they will not take up the chal lenge. The majority of the witnesses examined before the committee consider the following alterations in the law to he desirable " 1, That eYery notice of objection given by a registered elector should specify the grounds of his objection. "IT. That overseers otjecting should be bound to specify the grounds of their objection, and to give notice thereof to the addzess of the person objected te, in the same manner as any other objector. " 111. That any claimant or registered elector objected to on env ground as not qualified to have a vote should be at liberty to make a statutory declaration under the sth and 6th William IV., cap, 62, in support of his right, and to inform the objector that ho had made it; that any objector thereupon persisting lli his objection should, unless he suc ceeded in keeping or striking the name off the register, be necessarily subject to costs. ', tor objected to " IV. That a n y c l a i mant or reg i stere d CI O. on the ground of an y error or i ncomp l eteness in his claim or entry in the register should be at liberty to correct EtZ h error, or to supply information to complete his claim or entry, by letter addressed to some person officially charged with the preparation of the register, and to inform the ob jector thereof ; that any objector thereupon persisting in his objection should, unless he succeeded in making it good, be necessarily subject to costs. " V. That each parish list in the register should contain not only the names of voters qualified for property situate within such parish, but also the names of voters residing in such parish, but qualified for property situate in other parishes of the same county; and that the register or polling number of such voters should be placed against their names in the parish of their residence, instead of in that of their qualifying propel ty. VI. That the clerk of the peace should annually fur nish the overseers of the parishes in his county with a suffi cient number of lists of registered voters in their several parishes for publication and male front the copies of the register in his possession. " VII. That the list of voters on the existing re gister in each parish should be annually published by the overseers on the same day as the notices to claim. The committee are of opinion that these changes would be im provements; but they consider that in regard of objections by overseers, when made on the grouud of death, notices of objections need not be served. " They consider that each ground of objection taken by an objector should ho treated as a separate objection ; that costs should follow the event, unless the revising barrister in his discretion saw tit to ;withhold them, or, in a case where several grounds of objection had been taken, some of which had succeeded while others failed, to compound the costs. " The committee particularly inquired into the possibi- lity of making the registration of county voters less depen dent on the care of individuals, or the activity of political agents, and more a subject of official agency. In Scotch and Irish counties, and in boroughs throughout the three king doms, registration is a matter of official agency, supple mented and checked by individual action. The nature and variety of the qualifications for the county franchise in England and Walem, depending as it does mainly on title, tenure, and beneficial interest, liteit the application of any official system, and render it impossible to dispense with in- dividual action to the same extent as in constituencies in which tho franchise depends on more apparent circum stances, " Most of the witnesses havel expressed themselves in favour of intrusting the correction of claims and entries in all points not essential to the right to vote to official agents, to whom the claimants and electors should be invited to furnish all requisite information," SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. Es.-14r. Stansfeld makes out a very good case for himself. It has its Weak point, but it was a good case to listen to and a safe one to state. Tee ex Minister had the advantage of a sympathising audience at Halifax, no doubt, and the occasion it self, which expressed the " esteem and confidence" of his constituents, was enough to assure him of his reception. Still, with a certain qualification, his address would have been good for any audience, and would have established his title to political respect and public consideration. He alleged, with perfect truth, that he had employed his short term of office, in promoting without stint of time or labour the work with which he was charged. He claimed even to have achieved some success in this undertaking. He tells us that he did so far simplify, organise, and arrange the business and accounts of our Dockyard establishments as to assimilate them in this respect to the establishments of private firms. He devised and initiated an economical policy which survives his retirement, and of which the country will soon reap the fruit. Having done all this, he resigned his place in the Administration rather than allow the Government to be damaged by a motion directed against himself ; so that he saved his patrons from injury and the Liberal party from loss of office, while he carried with him in his retirement the satis factory reflection that he had done his duty in all respects. Every word of this is true, but it is also true that Mr. Stanfield's resignation was a part of his duty, nor is it quite fair to describe it as a pro ceeding occasioned by the intrigues of political fac tion. It was a step which was called for by the acci• dents of his own position. These accidents were unfor tunate, but they had occurred, and there was but one way of meeting the consequences. The only excep tion to be taken to Mr. Stansfeld's defence of himself is that it represents as a mere party man ceuvre the menace which drove him from place. Perhaps it is rather ungracious to take even this exception, for every man may claim to make the best of his own cause, but the truth is that if Mr. Stansfeld's cause at this point had not been a weak one he might have safely confronted the threat before which he re retired. He tells us himself that he " knew some thing of the state of parties and of the chances of success." In other words, he knew that if it came to a vote of the House on the Mazzini question, that vote would be against him. But this means only that the case was against him also. It was only a strong case for the Opposition, because it was a weak one for him. It was just one of those cases which a political party is always on the watch to seize—a case which is strengthened by the opinion prevailing beyond the party ranks, and which is sure to bring over outsiders and waverers at the moment of a division. So many persons be sides Mr. Disraeli and his friends thought Mr. Stansfeld compromised, not perhaps by facts, but at any rate by his own manner of encountering imputations, that a majority against Government on the question was extremly probable, and nobody can well blame the leaders of the Opposition for recognising the opportunity. Of course the vote would have been pressed for a " party object"— namely, the injury or displacement of the Ministry. That is the history of all such votes. The Oppo sition lies in wait for strong cases—cases in which Government, from the peculiar weakness of its posi tion, cannot make so good a fight as usual. What Mr. Stansfeld did not see, and perhaps could not be expected to see, is, that it was only his own diffi culty which made his enemies' opportunity, and that their strength was only another term for his weakness. We have not the least desire to open this question again, or to measure the amount of official discredit conceived to be reflected on a Minister by the friendship of M. Joseph Mazzini. We cannot but admire Mr. Stansfeld's bold defence of his friend, but that is another question altogether. Considering what is actually thought of M. Mazzini, and what was confessed of his relations with Mr. Stansfeld, there was a certain practical propriety in Mr. Stans feld's resignation. It was because this propriety was pretty commonly recognised that Mr. Stansfeld's op ponents acquired so advantageous a chance against him, and discerned their way to a victory of which he, by his voluntary retirement, judiciously de. prived them. We approve, then, of Mr. Stansfeld's conduct altogether, his resignation included. We think the sacrifice was rendered necessary by cir cumstances—only, we should include in those cir cumstances some little indiscretion on his own part, instead of limiting them exclusively to political enmities and party stratagems. As it is, we i,`Sink Mr. Stansfeld stands well before the country, bu.t. instead of conceiving that he has any "usage" to complain of, we regard his loss of office as a natural sequel of his own conduct. That it may be soon retrieved we sincerely trust, and as it certainly atoned amply for any imprudence on which he might have ventured, he may enjoy a fresh start with good promise and prospects. Probably his constitu mats think that he never should have been driven to the sacrifice they commemorated, and there are, doubtless, many persons who share that opinion. But if the preponderance of opinion had not upon the whole been the other way the sacrifice could never have been compelled at all, and with this remark we may let the subject drop. We are glad to find that Mr. Stans eld recognises in his successor a congenial and sympathetic mind, He tells us that Mr. Childers and he have compared notes on the great dockyard questions, and have found themselves to be in complete accord. The description given of the pending reform will com mend itself to everybody who is conversant with such improvements. Arrangements, said Mr. Stans fold, in these large establishments require " not merely to be laid down upon paper and to be intro duced, but they require constant watehing and constant guarding, and development of a certain length of time." That is precisely the course of all such affairs. Routine can only be superseded by routine, only the new routine may express a far better system than the old. When once a good system has been learnt it can be easily practised, but the practice must be taught under the eye of the author. That done, the establishment can run alone, or with very slight supervision, and here it is that the loss of Mr. Stansfeld's services might have been so prejudicial to the public interests ex cept for the sympathies of his successor. Mr. Stans feld had, he tells us, actually placed the accounts of our great dockyard establishments on such a footing as would " enable them to bear comparison with those of any private firm." Nor was this all, for he had introduced certain provisional arrangements calculated to " enable her Majesty's Dockyards to compete upon fair terms with the private ship building establishments of this country." It was in the middle of this experiment that Mr. Strnse fold's resignation occurred. The event might have been ruinous to dockyard reform, but, fortunately. Mr. Childers continues the work with a cordial adoption of his predecessor's spirit. We hope, therefore, that we may still reckon with confidence on the anticipated results, and that a longer and less troubled term of office may hereafter enable Mr. Stansfeld to repeat and extend his good services to the public. PosT.—ln the manner in which the war in Den mark, bat more especially in the province of Jut land, was conducted, we believed that Prussia had manifested a disregard for the usages prescribed by civilisatian and a contempt for the opinion of neu tral States which it would_ have been impossible to surpass. In this respect, however, it turns oat that we have been mistaken. The pillage of a defenceless population, who had done nothing to provoke war, ' whose poverty ought to have disarmed the anti of their aggressors, w as unquest i ona bl y an cup i dity But atrocious as it was, and un atrocious crime. shown to be in the annals of exampled as it was ' 4 ll one which, as we no •her of a still w modern uld wa b r e ra s r u e c , e i e t ed w e a d s b s y e ano. 1 - 2lundering darkerthe dye. Prussia found an excuse for unfortunate Jutlanders in the obsolete T zaxim that war should be made to support itself, but Whb!Pre text she will offer for pursuing the same couree's after, with her own consent, hostilities had been temporarily suspended, remains to be seen. The accounts which daily reach us from Copenhagen leave no room for doubt tint the stipulations upon which the armistice was agreed upon have been, and still are, systematically violated by the Prussian military authorities. It was specially pro vided that the allied armies should cease to impose any furtherte contributions upon the Jutlanders, and that h y should pay the inhabitants for any supplies which t t they ipu l m a t i i g o h n might require, I into 'This was t w h a e s C t on e fe n r a e t n u c r e e on o h , of the s 9 , h of May, as subsequently explained by Earl Russell in his place in Parliament. It was agreed that the armistice should come into operation upon the 12th, and that from that day hostilities, or any thing savouring of acts of hostility, should cease between the belligerents. During the two days which intervened between the conclusion of the armistice and the time when it came into operation Europe was shocked to learn that the Prussians continued to impose and levy many contributions upon the inhabitants of Jutland. But still these acts of rapacity might be justified by the letter of the bond. and neutral States, though amazed at the palpable violation of its spirit, could only protest against the continuance of a practice so inconsistent with the accepted usages of civilised warfare. Before the adjournment of Parliament for the Whitsuntide recess the Earl of Ellenborough took an opportunity of bringing the matter under the notice of the House of Lords, but as the Foreign Secretary then stated that under the conditions of the armistice the practice would thenceforth be dis continued, we were forced to comfort ourselves with the reflection that the trials of the Jutlanders, severe though they were, had come to an end. The unsatisfactory answer given last evening in the House of Commons by Mr. Layard to a question put by Mr. Whiteside will dispel these hopes—if, in- indeed, despite the revelations of the past few days, there be any who still continue to entertain them, The Under Secretary professed himself to he without offieial information on the subject, but admitted that he was not in a position to contradict the statements in the publicjournals to the effect that,notwithstand ing the terms on which the armistice was concluded, the Prussian authorities still continue to levy con tributions upon the inhabitants of Jutland. Throw ing out of account the strong presumption of accuracy furnished by the receipt of numerous statements from various sources to the same effect, it may not unreasonably be assumed that if these state ments were false the English Government would. ere this have been authorised by the Cabinet at. Berlin to give them sn unqualified contradiction. Her Majesty's Government are, however, eight days after the armistice came into operation, totally un able to assure the country that its most important provisions have not been violated by one of the. belligerents. Now, what let us ask, have been the acts alleged to have been committed by the Prus sians in Jutland, and on which our Foreign -office is without officiai information? On the day whee l it was stipulated that hostilities should cease the Prussians tore down large quantities of telegraphic wires, the property of the Crown of Denmark, and, transmits d them to Germany. Now, this act can only be described as one of downright robbery. Some excuse might possibly be offered for taking violent possession of cattle or provisions which might be indispensable for the use of the troops,, but it is impossible to discover any palliation for an. act of such selfish Vandalism. On the day preced ing, and when the fact of an armistice having been concluded had been publicly notified, the come mender of the Prussian troops at Randers called upon the municipality to pay a contribution of 100,000 doll., which, having been refused, the town was literally given up to pillage. Sentinels were set upon warehouses and shops, the owners were turned out, inventories of the contents were taken,, and the registration of the plunder proceeded with far into the day on which the Plenipotentiaries of the belligerents had agreed that hostilities should. cease. On the night of the 12th requisitions were made for a number of horses by the Prussian mili tary authorities at Aarhuns, and on the 13th large quantities of goods, which had been seized on the preceding day, were removed from that town. At ' Fyen numbers of horses and cows were carried off upon the 13th!; and on the evening of the same day a contribution of 200,000 dole. and 400 blankets was demanded from the municipality, under the threat, in case of refusal, of emptying the shops and warehouses of their contents. One of the latest telegrams from Copenhagen informs us that the Prussians have refused to pay even for the necessaries of life, and continue to carry out their pructice of making the war support itself by quar tering themselves upon the unfortunate Juttanders. Such being the present condition of affairs, it is notsurprising that the Danes should protest against this gross violation of the stipulations of the armis tice, and even hint the possibility of re-establishing the blockade by way of reprisal. Prussia has once again oetregeously broken faith both with Denmark and with the neutral Powers. Notwithstanding the most solemn and the most. formal engagements, she has proceeded in her work of pillage at the expense of a population perfectly helpless, except so far as they were placed by a written compact under the protection of international law. Now, who, or what, let us ask, is Prussia, that she should thus set at defiance the most powerful States of Europe ? It is not so very long since she was a Duchy, and, although now a powerful kingdom, she has not yet become the supreme arbiter of the destinies of Europe. There must be some limit to human endurance, and that limit has now beau reached. Whatever may be the technical operation. of an agreement such as that which was entered into at the London Conference on the 9th of the present month, all the parties to it are equally bound to insist upon its observance. When Den mark raised the blockade, and consented to leave the German army in peaceable occupation of Jut• lend, she virtually placed the inhabitants of that province under the protection of the neutral Powers. To this protection they are undoubtedly entitled. It is to he supposed that some sanction attaches to the resolutions at which the Plenipotentiaries may arrive ; but if, in truth, the formal compacts into which they may enter can be set aside at pleasure by one of the contracting parties, we may be ex cused for doubting whether their deliberations can by possibility lead to any practical or beneficial result. COUNTRY MARKETS. BIRMINGHAM-THURSDAY. There was a limited supply of English wheat to-day, and prices rather in buyers' favour. Barley nominally un altered. Oats dull. Beans and peas were at late prises. —English wheat was sold at 40s to 44s for white, and 369 to 42s per 36 stone for red, Barley, new malting, 30s to 38s per qr ; grinding, 18s to L24s Oats, old, 22s to 309 per 30 stone; Irish, 18s to 245. Beans, 34s to 40s per qr. Peas, 32s to 38s per 3G stone. BURTON-ON-TRENT—THunsply. Scarcely so much wheat as usual, and the demand was dull at a reduction of is per qr. Barley a meagre show. Oats and beans steady at our quotations. Old white wheat..4ls to 458 New do. ~ 39s to 44s Malting bar1ey...328 to 35s Grinding d0.....268 to 29s Old red wlicat„..4os to 42s New do. ..37s to 41s Oath . 20a to 30s Beans MANCHESTER-THURSDAY. A very limited attendance at our market to-day, and but very little business doing. Wheat and flour were both offering on lower terms. Oats and oatmeal met with a slow demand, at late prices. English and Egyptian beans again ruled firm. Indian corn rather lower. Beans were at about previous quotations. BRISTOL—THURSDAY. A fair supply of English wheat, which met a limited sale, at prices somewhat similar to last week. EDINBURGH GRAIN-MAY 18. To-day there was a small supply of grain, which sold at is per qr under last week's prices. Wheat on the top is 3d down ..average is 3d down. Barley on the top Os 9d down average is 2d down Oats on the top 2s Od down average Os 2d down Beans on the top is Od do wn average is 6d down Average Prices. Wheat.. Barley 2Bs 10d I Beans '&3 3d Total Supply and Sales. Wheat ... 922 qrs Sold 725 qrs 8ar1ey........ 617,qrs Sold 315 qr 3 Oats Beans 289 qrs Sold, 148 qrs Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 37s Od; extras, 35s Od ; superfine, 335 Od ; fine, 30s Od. Persons who have been in the habit of paying weekly as borrowers of Sewing Machines will do well to apply at once and become members of Messrs. Watts and Co.'s Sewing Machine Clubs. By so doing they will not only save the money they now foolishly throw away, but at the same time secure to themselves the possession of one of the best and most celebrated sewing machines in the world. Every in formation given on application; or by letter addressed, with a stamped envelope, to Messrs. Watts and Co., 12, Beaufort buildings, Strand, London, W.C., where men) rs are en' rolled daily between 10 and 4 ; Saturdays, 10 and `t [ADVERTISEMENT.]—Consumption, all nervous, bilious, liver, and stomach complaints, in every stage, are only ag gravated and accelerated by drugs of every description, but perfectly curable by Du Barry's health restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, as proved by thousands of cases which had been considered hopeless. We quote a few.—Cure No. 62,90. Miss Lange, 18 years of age, cured after the medical men had abandoned all hopes of her recovery from the last stage of pulmonary consumption, with fearful cough, expectoration, exhaustion, spitting of blood, perspirations, hollow cheeks. emaciated to a skeleton. She is now, thank God, a perfectly healthy, blooming, fleshy girl,—N. Lange, Commiss aire de Police. Cure, No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts , of 1 rim ley! S u rrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs , sp i tting of blood, liver derangement, and partial deaf ness.—Cure, No. 47,121. Mi ss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion. low spirits, and nervous fancies.—C ure, No. ;Rev. James 'l'. Campbell, Fak en h am, Norfolk, 0 1 g 4 f a , t 8 in 1 16 e di . ri g n r e i g s indigestion and torpidity of the liver, whi c h had resisted all medical treatment. In tins, 11b, 2s 9d ; 21b, 48 6d• 51b, 116; 121 b, 225; 241 b, 40'0. Barry du Barry an d CO., No. 77, Regent-street, London ; a;,qo Fortnum and Mason; and all grocers and chemists in every - town ()tithe United Kin g dom,.._ Births. BEACH.—On the 17th inst., at Oakley Hall, Hants, the wife of W. W. Beach, Eq., M.P., prematurely, of a daughter. CONSTABLE —On the 15th inst.. at Cheltenham, the wife of Lieut.-Colonel C. B. Constable, of a son. SCOTT.—On the 18th inst., at Norfolk House, London; Lady Victoria Hope Scott, of a daughter. WirrrriELD.—On the 18th inst., at Lewes, Sussex, I \ ll.B ° George Whitfield, of a daughter. Marriages. CORBETT—IioLmEs.—On the 17th inst., at Brooke MutFht Norfolk, John Corbett, Captain R.N., to Georgina Grace, the eldest daughter of George Holmes, Esq.) 0f Brooke Lodge. • WINsTox—L - EmrRIER.E.---On the 18th inst., Church, Hants, Charles Winston, Esq., of the Inne r Temple, to Maria, youngest daughter of the late Philip Raoul Lempriere, Esq , of ltozel Manor Jersey, Deaths. a t Bowe CoopEn.--On the 17th inst„ at Perry-street, near Grave B " end, Mr. John Cooper, aged 73. KINE.—On the 16th inst , at Abeideen, Commander Col in Abercrombie Kane, R,N., Inspecting Commander C° 3Bt Guard, PLUMPTRE.—On the 18th inst., at Eton College, the Eel' John Francis Plumptre, M.A., aged 83. 11,1cAnno.—On the 17th inst., at Cheltenham, D avi l Ricardo, Esq., of Gatcombe-park, Gloucestershire , a g ed 61. WERTON.—On the 19th inst., at Westbourne Villa, Bar" water, William Weston, Esq., builder, aged 54. London : Prinzed and Prblished by WILLIAM ANDREWS. of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TiE SUN Office No. 114 Strand, ;r1 the Precinct of the Savoy, n the oun g i of Miidlesex —Friday, May 20, ISOL